Screw the theater....

[ChanceWayne]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:28pm

For the past two decades I've made an annual theater trip to Manhattan carefully planning to see as many shows as possible in a two week period. I usually average ten shows per visit. I purchase my tickets way in advance to insure that for a hundred dollars plus...I get the best seats available for each show. However this year I find there are no longer any center orchestra or front mezzanine seats available for anything I want to see. Curiously though if I hit the "premium seats" button there are excellent seats EVERYWHERE available for $250 plus per ticket. Although I've heard there are ways to secure these desirable seats for less by waiting for them to be released the day of the performance if they haven't been sold at premium prices by then, I do not plan on securing plane tickets and a lengthy stay at a hotel only to find I can't see the shows I want to see in the locations I desire. So this year I've decided to kiss off the Broadway theater for good and look elsewhere to spend my money. To be honest...last year I saw "Spamalot", "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", "Little Women", "Sweet Charity", "Dessa Rose", "Spelling Bee", "Altar Boyz", "Virginia Wolf", "Light in the Piazza" and "La Cage". The ONLY shows I truly enjoyed were "Dessa Rose" and "Spelling Bee". I could've done without seeing any of the others. Where I once enjoyed supporting the theater I now refuse to go along with their new tactic of selling tickets. Bye bye Broadway!....you're no longer worth the time, the cost or trouble.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:31pm

Well, okay then!

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:32pm

Well ain't that sad news

[CapnHook]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:33pm

Damn. And here I am willing to stand in the back of a theatre if I could only afford transportation to New York.

[kate2]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:35pm

was there a point in this thread? ... just asking

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:35pm

I'll be sure and pass your message along to the "theater" should I ever run into him or her.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:37pm

lol aw

[tthomas76]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:38pm

I'm sure they'll be fine... I wish I had that kind of money to throw around.. I'm just happy being in the theatre most of the time.

[Isabella2]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 2:38pm

that was enlightening thanks. why didn't ya see sweeney todd? insetad of seeing 15 shows in a week why not go for maybe 2 in three days. less money, less time, less fuss.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:18pm

what shows are you wanting to see that you cant get tickets too??

and how far in advancd did you plan? the only couple shows i have had trouble getting decent tickets to w/o planning on wicked, spam, and odd couple.

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:23pm

Yall be nice! He has a point. And dont make fun of him talking to theater. You talk to shows all the time! and actors! Seriously...does anyone on broadway actually go to this board? well other than Anthony Rapp

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:26pm

"Seriously...does anyone on broadway actually go to this board? well other than Anthony Rapp"

Both Shaiman and JRB post on the boards under their own names, Fredi from the OBC of RENT also posts, and I know of many more who visit the boards and sometimes post, though not publicly.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:32pm

Many more have accounts that you wouldn't expect that are heavily involved in theaer...

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:41pm

If you didn't like The Light in the Piazza, I'm not interested in your perceived problems.

[cookie2]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:41pm

ChanceWayne, FYI...there's more to the theatre world than just Broadway. Just saying...you don't have to spend $250+ to see quality material. You may not see too many famous faces or hear songs you already know, but there is a lot of valuable theatre to see in NY.

[dramaparoxysm23]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:43pm

"Damn. And here I am willing to stand in the back of a theatre if I could only afford transportation to New York."

I hear ya!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:48pm

I know for a fact that there are many many major names -- well known composers and directors, as well as Tony winning stars -- who lurk on this board. Most just lurk, but a few actually post under assumed names. You'd be shocked to find out some of the HUGE "names" that monitor this board.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:55pm

Indeed Margo, and actual GOOD composers that do highly respectable work

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 3:57pm

i loved "la cage" and "piazza" but i wouldn't pay over 60 for any show...period!!!

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:02pm

I'd pay over 60 if there was only going to be one chance at ever seeing Sweeney Todd. Thats about the only thing worth that much to me. I still regret paying 65 for Bklyn, but ugh I'd rather not recall those days when I was really ignorant.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:03pm

Also, performers do see when they are being bashed. I can recall two times where a performer was being bashed, and the performer saw the hateful posts and they were very hurt. So I think people need to realize this board is great for sharing opinions, but when you hatefully bash, the performer or someone close to the performer may see.
Updated On: 1/23/06 at 04:03 PM

[Lamc16]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:04pm

i just find it sad that Chance saw all of those great shows and only enjoyed TWO! ps, if you're spending $100 plus to see shows that you don't even enjoy, why not try getting seats in the mezz or balcony for half that price? that way, if you don't like the show, at least you won't have spent as much. what's so wrong w/ the mezz/bal anyway??

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:04pm

ChanceWayne -- I'm curious as to why you were going to see Broadway shows in the first place?

(I'm not trying to be snotty by asking, either.)

People go for all sorts of reasons, personal, social and professional. From your post, it struck me as such an extreme way of doing things, from the way you attend to your current "kiss off" of all things Broadway. You're used to seeing "the best shows, at the highest prices for the best seats!" It's almost as if you're attending just because it's "the best" and not really because you enjoy going to the theatre. Maybe I'm reading things into your words than you never intended.

Theatre can be great and very satisfying in many places, not just from the eighth row, center, of the hottest show on Broadway. I don't mean to "talk down" to you here, either... but since you made such a point about how you shell out the best for the best, THAT seemed to be your main goal... Getting the best. And not really enjoying what you've paid for. I think you'll always be setting yourself up for disappointment, if this is the case. Some of the best and most memorable shows I've seen have not been from the most "perfect" location in the theatre, or at the hottest show on the boards this season.

Just something for you to think about. You have your reasons for going, and your pre-determined hopes and goals, and if they're not being met then it does sound like it's not the place for you now.

Updated On: 1/23/06 at 04:04 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:06pm

Good riddance. I guess that's one more seat open for the rest of us.

"So I think people need to realize this board is great for sharing opinions, but when you hatefully bash, the performer or someone close to the performer may see."

I know of another performer that had this happen to him. What was unfortunate was that it was about something that was completely unrelated to his career and insulted him based on an assumption made about his personality.

Updated On: 1/23/06 at 04:06 PM

[tacos are great]

Posted: 1/23/06 at 4:25pm

It's not a rock concert. What do you want, to be hit in the face by flying sweat?